Jim Ives' last flying
duty before his posting away from 625 Squadron in December 1943 was
on a fighter affiliation exercise, sharing the pilot's duties with
F/Sgt Reg Price RCAF (December 5th,
Lancaster DV364, 1hr.25mins, day). I recently ran across Mr Frank
Sutton's flying log-book
which neatly mirrors entries in F/Sgt Price's and cousin Jim's own
log-books.
Of
current interest too are Frank Sutton's notes concerning losses on
the Nuremberg raid of 30th/31st March 1944 :-
'THIS TRIP WAS SHEER HELL – N/Fs ATTACKING IN
STRENGTH' – LOST 96 A/C'.
Significant,
don't you think, that our aircrews knew exactly how bad losses were.
back:- Sgt Les Knowles, P/O Jack Conley RAAF, F/Sgt Harry Powter
front:- P/O Frank Sutton, P/O Reg Price RCAF, P/O Dudley Ball RAAF, absent F/Sgt Jim Harris
Air-Crews wusste genau, wie schlecht Verluste waren aber die große Frage ist, würden Sie es getan haben? Ich las http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Coastal_Command_during_World_War_II
ReplyDeleteDominik
Air crews knew exactly how bad losses were but the big question is would you have done it? I was just reading http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Coastal_Command_during_World_War_II
ReplyDeleteEnglisch leid /English sorry
Dominik
dominik, many thanks for your comment - this is the unanswerable question. I'd like to think I would - but to keep going, time and time again when casualty rates were rising and familiar names and faces from your squadron failed to return? The crew dynamic must have helped them to continue, but registering heavy fighter activity and nearly 100 aircraft losses - morale must have been affected. My point exactly - how brave these young men were. You are right - would subsequent generations have done the same?
ReplyDeletejp.